Good Things
by Rointheta
Summary: Barely dressed, Rose and the Doctor have to hide in a tree to get away from the aliens chasing them. "She ghosted her fingers up his thigh. 'Doctor, are you wearing pants' He laid his hand over hers. 'I know what you're doing.' 'I'm doing something' 'You're not exactly being subtle, Rose.'"
1. Rose and the Doctor

Birthday fic for the wonderful **thebaddestwolf**. Happy birthday!  
**beta**: resile (although I've done a few changes since we went through the doc, so any mistakes are mine)  
**note**: There's a scene that might make some readers uncomfortable, since it leads to a lot of second hand embarrassment. If you wanna know what it is beforehand, you can read an explanation on my tumblr on the page called /spoilers (just type that after my url).  
This is a two-parter and the second chapter is already done, but I'll post it tomorrow. :)

* * *

**GOOD THINGS  
**_Part I - Rose and the Doctor_

* * *

A root caught Rose's foot and she tumbled forward, scrambling after the Doctor's back for purchase. He turned around to help her at the same time as she lost her balance and fell into him. They crashed to the soft grass together with her sprawled atop him. Her breath rushed out of her from the impact and she couldn't stop the bridge of her nose from knocking into his chin. She whimpered and rested her spinning head on his shoulder.

"Rose? You okay? Just lie still." He snaked a hand in between them, the fabric of his suit jacket rustling when he fumbled around, and she grunted at the pressure of the back of his hand digging into her chest.

She shifted to her left to give him room. "What are you doing?"

"Getting my sonic." He pulled out his hand and directed the buzzing device at her. "Lift your head, please."

"No." She burrowed her face into his neck. "Dizzy."

"Even more the reason for me to examine your nose. You might've fractured it or got a concussion."

"M'fine. Just dizzy, that's all."

"We'll lose our head start, Rose." He caressed her from the back of her head, down her neck and along her spine. Gooseflesh spread across her body, and she shuddered and breathed in his scent as quietly as she could. "Think you're up for some more running?"

"Just give me a mo'," she said, taking the opportunity to memorize exactly how his body felt beneath hers, how his hipbones dug into her stomach and their legs tangled together. This situation would not repeat itself any time soon – if ever – and she wasn't a better person than soaking up what she could to fuel her fantasies.

When he brushed over the strip of exposed skin between her top and her jeans at the small of her back, she couldn't help a tiny little moan escaping her throat. He stopped caressing her right away and she grumbled on the inside when he rolled her off himself.

"Right. You're clearly feeling well enough for a run." He got to his feet, bent down and, with a firm grip around her ribcage, lifted her to stand. "Okey-dokey?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"Good. Now, run." He grabbed her hand and they sprinted down a shallow slope together. "Don't much fancy having those Marklevians catching up on us. A little too hostile for my liking. And wielders of very, very sharp sticks."

Earlier that morning, they'd parked the timeship in a glen surrounded by the woods separating it from the quaint little town Träd on the quaint little planet Marklevia. The locals there – a species that looked human, but had a much shorter medium height – tapped spruce-like trees of a viscous sap they made into an oil the Doctor needed for the TARDIS's machinery. After paying them with a handful of gems, he'd filled one of his transdimensional pockets with bottles containing the stuff, then showed Rose around town.

The closest they got to trouble was the curious glances coming the Doctor's way, since he towered over everyone else, and they'd had an unusually lovely, jeopardy-free day. They tried the Trädish cuisine, went to an art exhibition and ended their trip at an outdoor concert where the locals sang the yellow sun to set and the blue moon to rise. Whilst they waited for the musicians to take their place, the Doctor stretched and laid his arm on the backrest, hand curled around the ball of her shoulder, in a move that reminded her of Mickey's early advances. However, whilst Mickey always fidgeted and snuck her glances to gauge her reaction, the Doctor had pulled a banana out of his pocket, managed to peel it with one hand and munched on it with a content smile on his face. Then an alarm had boomed out over the crowd and the Doctor tossed his half-eaten banana over his shoulder and pulled her with him when he shot up to his feet. They'd run under silence and she still didn't know what had happened.

It didn't take long for the TARDIS to come into view. The door was facing the other way and they ducked behind the blue box, leaning against the wood the catch their breaths. Whilst the Doctor fumbled with his key to unlock the door, Rose peered around the corner, spying in the distance the Marklevians emerging from the woods. They were indeed carrying long, sharp sticks that bobbed up and down whilst they ran and one of them held a yellow and white war banner high up in the air. She squinted, but couldn't suss out any details.

"Blimey, that was quite a run," she said, stepping inside on wobbly legs when the Doctor opened the door for her. "What's that about, anyway?"

"We offended their gods."

"Oh, let me guess," she slouched down on the jump seat and watched him punch in the sequence that would park them in the vortex, "it was public indecency, wasn't it? 'Cause you had your arm around me. This has to be, what, the sixth time that happened. Maybe we shouldn't be so–"

"No, it would've been the eleventh time, if you count handholding, which really– It wasn't that. It was the banana." He tugged at his ear. "They hate bananas. Or their gods do. Or, well, a queen did once, long, long time ago, and it got incorporated into their religion, but no one remembers that now. Bananas were banned ages ago, so bringing them back is punishable by death. In the future, once they make their first alien contacts, their customs are decked out with banana detectors. I sort of, er, remembered that a bit too late."

She laughed. "Yeah, just a bit."

"When the alarm sounded, I saw the banana burning banner and it, sort of, sparked my memory. Banana burning banner…" He sighed, eyes losing focus and voice turning airy. "One might think that I'd never forget such an amazing alliteration, alas… Anyway, I should get to this." He fished a bottle of oil from his pocket. "I've been neglecting her a little and she's not been running as smoothly because of it. There's a lot of friction going on in there and-and she's been in need of proper lubrication for a while now. Of a good polish too."

Rose let out a dramatic sigh. "Oh, don't we all."

He wrinkled his brow. "What?"

She held back a snort, shaking her head at him. "Uhm, yeah, I'll let you get to it, then. Was thinking about taking a shower and turning in anyway."

"Already?"

"Yeah, I'm knackered. And don't worry about the," she tapped her nose, "I feel fine. Just tired after the run."

He smiled. "I know."

"Night, Doctor."

* * *

**.**

* * *

In the shower her mind wandered back to the moment when they fell. Only in her fantasy he caressed more than just her back and she'd rolled off him so they could tear off their clothes and shag with wild abandon right there on the ground. The images of the Doctor moving on top of her made certain neglected needs known, and she tried to push them out of her mind.

Since the TARDIS had a connection to her mind – it translated everything for her, after all – and he was bonded to it, Rose couldn't shake the feeling that he'd know if she were to masturbate. Because of this she mostly took care of herself whenever they went back to Earth and Rose slept in her old room – or, if desperate, when they stayed in different bedrooms as house guests to the latest grateful person they'd helped. Now, however, weeks had passed since she'd had a wank and her body screamed for some attention.

With a long, slow exhale, she focussed her thoughts on the concert they'd visited and dried herself, dressed in a clean pair of knickers and a vest top, and slipped into bed.

She tossed and turned for a while, but the fantasy ran on repeat before her mind's eye and she could no longer ignore the dull throbbing between her legs. After kicking off the covers, she licked her fingers, drew her knees up, let them fall to the sides and dipped her hand into her knickers. At home she liked to take her time, maybe go for a second round too, but the few times she'd done it in her room on board the timeship, she'd rushed through it to reach her climax and be done with it.

Tugging at her nipples with one hand, she touched herself with the other. The waistband of her underwear weighed down on her hand, restricted her movements, and she pulled her knickers down her hips, just enough to reach better. She slid her fingers into herself, closed her eyes and bit back a moan when she hit that sweet spot inside. Her breathing sped up, grew heavier, and she licked her lips, swallowed, and brought her other hand down to rub herself. The pressure built until she was so close her body convulsed and tensed up, ready to tumble over the edge. Then she heard a movement by her bedside.

She froze, eyes flying wide open.

"Rose, we need to leave."

She couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't even pull her knickers back up.

"I'm serious, Rose. Get out of bed. Now."

He only used that tone when they were in serious danger and she always did exactly what he told her, but now she couldn't think about anything other than her fingers deep inside her, how the whole room smelled of sex. She gasped when he grabbed the arm closest to him and tugged her out of bed. Her knickers slid down her thighs and she hobbled forward, but when she tried to slide out of his grip to adjust them, he weaved his fingers with her sticky ones and, holding her hand in an iron grip, dragged her with him whilst he rushed out of her room. She pulled her knickers up with her other hand, then wiped it on her vest, struggling to keep up with his alarming speed.

Too wrapped up in her shame, she didn't notice where they were heading until they stumbled out of the doors and the green glen stretched out on either side of them with the woods looming barely a hundred metres straight ahead.

"Why are we–"

"The friction contrafibulator broke," he said, peeking around the corner of the TARDIS, then took off at the opposite direction of the angry mob she heard approaching. "It contains a lethal toxin. It's started to spread and I can't stop it, Rose. The TARDIS will neutralise it, but we can't be in there for a few hours at least. I only had time to hit the return button, so to speak, before I got you. We, ehm, well, we landed a minute after we left."

"So we're still being chased, then?"

"Yep!"

"Great."

"And they won't stop. They don't know about aliens, so they probably assume we have a hidden banana plantation somewhere and will torture us with those damn sticks to get the information before hanging us outside the temple. The banana burners are ruthless."

"Oh, my god. Couldn't you have remembered this a little sooner?"

"Don't worry. I have a plan! We just need to find a really high tree with broad branches. Or a junction. Just somewhere we can sit comfortably."

"Yeah? Why?"

"They can't climb," he said, inspecting the trees whilst they moved, touching the bark and peering up at the leafage. "And just like a human wouldn't look up at the sky if they were searching for someone – 'cause humans can't fly, can they? – Marklevians won't even think of looking up at the trees."

"And what if they think we're hiding in the TARDIS and they decide to camp outside it, waiting for us?"

"Perception filter. They won't think anything of it." He patted the thick, rough trunk right in front of them. "This one looks good, doesn't it? Look up there. It forks in three. Reckon we'll be able to sit comfortably there."

She followed the length of the impressive trunk with her eyes and had to crane her neck to see the fork. "We'll never be able to reach it, though."

"Which means they'll be even less likely to see us. We'll climb up this one," he jutted his thumb at the neighbouring tree, "and shimmy along that branch. Should get us to the fork."

She sighed. She'd never be able to reach the lowest branch of that tree either and turned to the Doctor to tell him so, only to find him standing ready with his back against said tree and his hands laced together to form a cradle in front of his bare legs.

"I'll give you a boost," he said, nodding at his hands.

She stared at him. How could she have missed him running in front of her in only his shirt sleeves and underpants? If he even was wearing any. She bit her lip, tilting her head to the side to see if she could catch a glimpse of fabric underneath the shirt tails.

"Rose! Up you go."

She snapped her eyes up to his, cheeks heating up and palms sweating. His pointed look urged her on and, putting her hands on his shoulders, she placed her right foot in his hands and pushed herself upwards. When he lifted her towards the branch, she stepped up on his shoulder with her left foot and moved her hands to the branch. She burrowed her fingers into the furrows for purchase, then put her right foot on his shoulder as well. Just as she was about to hoist herself up, a thick, yellow snake slithered down the trunk and opened its wide gap, revealing two dripping fangs. She wobbled, stomach swooping when her feet slipped on his shoulders and she saw herself crash into the ground. However, the Doctor's hands shoot up, cupped her bum, then slid up her back and kept her upright whilst pushing her closer to himself, and with a firm hold on his head, she managed to land with her thighs on his shoulders. His nose brushed against her crotch, but he jerked his head to the side right away.

A flush washed over her and she squeezed her eyes shut. She was still wet, still a little swollen and needy, and she prayed that she hadn't soaked through the thin, white fabric of her knickers. Chancing a glance downward, she met a sight she'd fantasised about more times than she could count. Only, he wasn't staring up at her with dark eyes and parted lips like in her dreams. He was clenching his jaw so hard dimples formed in his cheeks and, by the looks of it, didn't even breathe.

"Snake!"

The sharp breath he expelled heated up her sex. "What?"

"There's a snake. Big yellow thing and it showed me its fangs."

"Does it have pink spots at the back of its head?" Each word wafted more hot breath on her skin and, even though he was using his very calm voice, she couldn't help but shiver. "And brown rings towards its tail?"

"Yeah,"

"Then it's harmless, so just–"

"But the fangs!"

"They're just for show. Ignore it and it'll slither away. Now, climb up on that branch, then two more, and shimmy towards the fork in the other tree. No pauses. Go!"

When the Doctor helped her up again, she kept an eye on the snake. It moved its head in slow circles, the tip of its tail raised and waggling from side to side. Venom dripped from the fangs and created dark splotches where it landed on the bark. She pulled her legs up and lay like a leopard on the broad branch. The snake hissed.

Rose looked down at the Doctor to ask him if he'd forgotten something about the snakes too – and found him snatching his hand from his face. Her jaw dropped. The adrenalin coursing through her jumbled up her memory. Was that the hand he'd held hers in? The words tumbled out of her before she could stop herself.

"Did you just smell–"

"Rose, climb!" He forced the words out through gritted teeth and the snake hurried away. "Third branch. Go!"

Using movements her body never had forgotten from her days on the gymnastics team, she complied whilst stealing glances at him. He backed up, sprinted towards the tree and lept through the air as though he'd stepped on a springboard, clambering to the first branch and pulling himself up. From her angle and with the leafage obstructing her vision, she still couldn't see whether he wore any underpants. With a sigh, she directed her attention to climbing up the branches and through the foliage.

Every rasp of a twig against her thighs were like a lover raking their nails over her skin and she had to bite down hard on her lip. The slight breeze increased, causing her knickers to feel chilly, but instead of cooling her off it only made her think of how damp they were. He'd have a perfect view of them, if he were to look up, could probably see how horny she still was. Bloody git. Couldn't he have called her name like a normal person instead of bursting into her room and staring at her wanking?

She was seething once she reached the right branch and, when she noticed him sidling up next to her, shot him a solid glare. He blinked at her, eyebrows raised, and she turned on the branch, its surface coarse under her bare feet, and traipsed along it until she could jump over to the fork in the other tree.

The Doctor landed next to her just as she sat down with her back against one of the arising branches.

"Rose, you can't sit there. We have to sit with our backs to this," he touched the trunk behind him, "or they might see us from the trail."

"I thought you said they didn't look up the trees," she said, standing up again. "Are you just making all this up?"

"Of course not! You can still see things high up if you're far enough from them!"

"But where?" She held back a nervous laugh; if she had to sit on his lap she'd spontaneously combust. "It's not big enough for the both of us. What are–"

His hands closed around her waist and he pulled her with him when he pressed his back against the trunk. The sudden movement made her yelp and he clasped his hand over her mouth, then used his other hand to guide her to slide down with him. She ended up sitting with her knees pulled up in the space created by his holding his legs akimbo. Her toes touched his heels, which pressed together in front of her.

She'd lain like that, with her knees fallen to the sides, when she'd touched herself and he'd blundered into her room, yanked her up from her bed and held her sticky hand until they reached the woods. His fingers smelled of her. She gritted her teeth at the thought. They would never smell like that because he'd actually touched her. He could hug her and hold her hand until it felt as though they'd melt together, but he'd never shown any signs of having urges, never hinted at being affected by her presence, and she'd never caught him looking somewhere he shouldn't – whilst she had trouble keeping her hands and eyes from wandering more often than not.

Now, here they sat, with her hot and bothered and him most likely focussed on the Marklevians and clamping her mouth shut, as though she didn't have enough sense to keep quiet. She grinned, opened her mouth and gave the soft flesh of his palm a quick nip. He snatched his hand away and splayed it over her stomach, keeping her secured to him, and leaned close to her ear.

"Behave," he whispered. "I can hear them. Stay still and quiet."

Another wind breezed through the woods, even stronger now, carrying with it the chill and salty smell of the ocean. She shivered and the Doctor wrapped his other arm around her. She leaned her head on his shoulder, relaxing in his arms whilst she waited for the Marklevians to pass. Their soft murmur reached her ears now and she had to bite the inside of her cheeks not to laugh at the disdain in their voices, at how appalled they sounded when they discussed how the poor Plommon, whoever that was, had been chosen to pick the half-eaten fruit from the ground and toss it into the incinerator. She'd put on a protective suit, double gloves, a helmet with a visor and even used a pair of pliers.

The Doctor's chest moved against Rose's back with held back chuckles and she buried her face into his neck to muffle hers.

The Marklevians passed and now, when the setting sun casted the woods in a gentle, orange glow between jet black shadows, and the faint noises of chatter died out, Rose became much too aware of the intimacy of her and the Doctor's embrace. She couldn't remember placing her hand on his thigh, but there it lay, fingers curled around his taut muscle. He held her left shoulder with his opposite hand and his forearm stretched across her chest, nestled between her breast. His other hand still pressed against her stomach, with his little finger nearly touching the waistband of her knickers.

He smelled just like a man – as though they were all made up of the same stuff, Gallifreyans and humans – warm and a little musky and with a trace of shaving cream. She pictured him showering after greasing down the TARDIS, that the timeship had alerted him of the toxin release when he'd been putting on clean clothes, that he'd rushed to her room to make sure she was safe before he could think of trivial things like shoes and trousers – and maybe even pants. Or maybe he never used pants in this body. She closed her eyes and swallowed a groan. The last thing she needed was imagining his naked cock pressing into her arse when her body still ached for release.

She shifted, trying to find a position where she better could ignore the heat pulsing between her legs and where he wouldn't sit so damn close.

He tightened his grip on her, mouth so close to her ear his lips brushed against it when he whispered, "Sit still."

"I'm uncomfortable."

"You'll just have to get used to it. They're setting camp close by. They shouldn't hear us if we keep our voices down, but they have excellent night vision. We'll have to wait until they fall asleep."

"Oh, bloody hell," she muttered under her breath.

He sighed. "What can I do? Why are you uncomfortable?"

She huffed. "Because the bark hurts my arse, that's why."

"Okay. Want to sit on my, ehm, lap?"

"No, I want to sit by myself."

"Well, you can't. We can't risk being caught. We're both wearing white. We're not exactly blending in and this is the most hidden spot in this damn tree. Now, tell me, what can I do to help?"

She closed her eyes with a sigh, shaking her head. "I don't think you wanna know."

"What?"

"Don't expect me to believe you're actually that thick. Honestly, did you really have to run into my room like that? You could've knocked! Said my name–"

"Keep your voice down! I was–" He exhaled. "I had just taken a shower and was getting dressed when the TARDIS alerted me. I didn't have a lot of time. I needed to get us somewhere fast, then get you. And I thought you were sleeping! 'Cause you said you were gonna go sleep and–"

"Like I'd tell you I was gonna go have a wank?"

"–know how you get when you've just woken up. You barely know your own name! And I needed to be fast, because you would've died, Rose. And not in a fun way, not that dying is ever fun, but this is a particularly horrible death. Trust me, you don't want me to describe what happens when you're exposed to Ceolix. I didn't have time to wait for a 'come in' or for you to wake up. I was prepared to carry you out, if it came to that, and then there was your bloody footboard and I didn't see anything, I only heard your breathing and I was scared the toxin had– And I rushed over and– I closed my eyes, Rose. I didn't see anything."

"Really? Nothing?"

He sighed. "Not much."

"Oh, god." She groaned and hid her face in her hands. "I can't believe you watched me wank."

"I didn't! I didn't watch! I–" He breathed out. "Rose, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. It's completely natural. Most lifeforms do it. And you're young and sex– Have a-a healthy sex drive," he said, gesturing in front of her in a circular motion whilst he spoke, "and I already assumed you were doing it anyway and it's not like I really saw anything so why don't we just put that behind us, hm?"

He moved his hand behind her and she heard him scratch his neck, then ruffle his hair and the image of him snatching his hand from his face popped up in her mind. It was the hand in which he'd held hers – and he had smelled his fingers.

A predatory grin spread on her face. "Oh, so you've thought about me wanking?"

"I assume most of my companions masturbate. At least the ones with a sex drive."

"I don't, actually. Usually, I mean. Not on board, anyway."

"Well, you can. It's not like it's forbidden."

"Do you?"

"That's hardly relevant."

"Ah, so you do." She ghosted her fingers up his thigh. "Doctor, are you wearing pants?"

He laid his hand over hers. "I know what you're doing."

"I'm doing something?"

"You're not exactly being subtle, Rose."

"Yeah? What am I doing, then?"

"You're trying to make me flustered, because you're embarrassed that I saw you doing something there's no shame in doing and now you want to have control over the situation."

"So you did see. Did you like it?"

"It's not going to work, Rose. I'm not that easily flustered."

"Oh." She turned her head until her lips touched his neck. "And what if I tell you that I was really close, that if you'd shown up a few seconds later, you'd've seen me come."

His hand tightened around hers, but he didn't remove it. She slowly ran the fingers of her opposite hand along his other leg.

"And what if I tell you that I was thinking of you? That you would've heard me scream out your name."

His breath hitched. She moved her hand down, circling his kneecap, then followed the underside of his thigh to where it rested against her hip. His skin prickled under her touch and she added a hint of nail, smiling when his muscles tensed.

"What if I tell you that–"

His hand closed over her mouth again and seconds later she heard a twig crack on the ground behind them and muffled voices coming nearer. She glanced at the ground through the corner of her eye, but saw nothing but rocks, moss, and bushes dimly lit by the blue moon now full and high in the dark sky. Then the sweet, heavy smell of the herb-filled pipes the locals smoke filled the air. She almost laughed at that. Of course some of the Marklevians chasing them would sneak off for a fag and destroy her attempt at seducing the Doctor.

With the smokers' idle chatter about neighbours and coworkers in the background, she removed his hand from her mouth and, looking up at the sky and the unfamiliar constellations, wrapped his arm around her to stave off the chill of night. At least, she used that as an excuse to snuggle closer and take advantage of this rare moment of intimacy. They would sit here in the dark and the cold until it was safe to return to the TARDIS. Then they'd part for the night and the next morning keep travelling and never ever mention their single night of sexual tension.

* * *

**to be concluded**


	2. Sitting in a Tree

**Warning for puns**. A whole log of them. If you pre-fir your fic sans puns, skip the ending. It has a silly amount of puns — or an _ash-tounding_ amount, depending on your stance on the fissure. I've done the math. It's basically 25 % puns. (I'M NOT EVEN SORRY) Roughly 60 % of this chapter is smut, though, and that is pun-free! Happy reading!  
**Thanks to** lauraxxtennant for answering my question about a word and the common usage in the UK.  
**Beta**: re-sile (although, I've made a few changes since we went through the doc, so all mistakes are mine).  
**Note:** This in NSFW.

* * *

**GOOD THINGS  
**_Part II - Sitting in a Tree_

* * *

Rose searched for patterns in the star-strewn sky in an attempt to distract her sex-deprived self from the feeling of a barely dressed Doctor holding her in his arms, but her thoughts kept wandering back to his underpants. Was he wearing any? He deflected when she asked, but wouldn't he tell her if only her flimsy knickers separated her arse from his cock? Would he _really_ offer her to sit in his lap if that were the case? She licked her lips at the images flickering to life in her mind, images of her jerking him hard, then scooting up a little, tugging her knickers aside and taking him inside. Her teeth caught her tongue and she glared out in the dark, shaking her head to clear it. He'd never shag her in that tree – or ever – and she had to stop thinking about it before she got so horny he'd smell it with his stupid superior nose.

He moved behind her, leaning his chin on her shoulder and holding his hand, palm up, in front of her as though asking what was wrong, what she'd shook her head at. She sighed and waved her hand in a dismissive gesture.

Beneath them a match rasped against the striking surface and the smoke increased as though the other Marklevian had lit up their pipe. The two of them took deep, loud pulls and the slurping noises of teeth sinking into plump fruits filled the silence between drags. Rose burrowed her face into the Doctor's neck to hide her groan and he held her closer. The pressure of his hand against her abdomen did nothing to lessen the lingering arousal, and when he brushed his thumb over her stomach in a comforting move, she dug her nails into his thigh without thinking. His jolt alerted her to what she was doing and she released his legs, then smoothed her hands over his abused skin in apology.

The tension left his body and he resumed moving his thumb over her belly button in slow strokes. Then his other fingers joined in, sending her blood rushing straight to her core with every brush over her stomach. Her breathing shallowed and her heart beat so fast she could see her breast jiggle when she glanced down. She watched his touches grow bolder, tickle her when he reached the side of her stomach and ghosted the pads of his fingers down to her hip. The fear of scaring him off with another sudden movement made her tamper down the urge to squirm, but when he drifted his fingers over the sensitive skin over her hipbone she couldn't help but quiver and grip his thighs.

He stopped, hand hovering over her lower abdomen, and she slumped forward a fraction from the disappointment, but then she felt his little finger following the waistband of her knickers, back and forth, and she could barely hold back a gasp.

He angled his hand until his palm pressed into her solar plexus and the tip of his middle finger slipped beneath her waistband. Then he stilled –_everything_ stilled.

The sounds of the Markelvians murmuring, the insects buzzing, and the wind rustling branches and leaves dimmed. The nature around them melted into a blur of navy blue and grey. The smell of the smoke faded until she only could smell him and her, their sweat and her arousal. She let her eyes drift closed, held her breath, and waited.

Nothing.

She opened her eyes. Was he waiting for consent or was he having second thoughts? Second thoughts because he shouldn't be doing this now, with their pursuers right below, or because he shouldn't be doing this at all. Would he ever cross the carefully drawn line between them without a little nudge, though?

Heart pounding in her chest, she hooked her legs over his thighs as quietly as she could, still holding her feet within the fork in the tree. Her legs spread wide, giving him easy access if he wanted it, giving him permission without making too much noise and without pushing too far.

She swallowed, could practically hear him deliberating with himself.

One of the smokers started talking about the stars, of the possibility of alien life out there. She distracted herself by listening and turned her eyes to the sky, smiling at how innocent their theorising sounded to her ears now, theories she just as well could've uttered two years ago. The other smoker made a crude joke about aliens and probing and, during the loud cackling her friend rewarded her with, the Doctor slipped his hand into Rose's knickers. She sucked in a sharp breath, then pressed her teeth into her bottom lip, eyes locked on the sapphire moon. He skimmed through her trimmed hair, then ghosted over her folds down to where she was wet and empty. One finger pushed inside. Her breath caught in her throat, then eased out of her in a careful stream of air when he began pumping. The wet noises rang out into the night. He stopped. She stifled a whimper, but the smokers' laughter and chatting streamed out of them without pause, and she rolled her hips to encourage him to continue.

She brushed her lips over his neck in time with his pumping, smiling when he shivered. He moved the fingers of his other hand to her mouth and she sucked them inside, taking her time to wet them. He grew hard against her bum and she ground her hips, the rough bark scratching her backside, increasing the pleasure coursing through her. He dipped the fingers dripping with her saliva into her knickers and mapped out her folds. She was already so far gone a few flicks against her clit would make her shatter, but the way he explored her, in a way none of her other blokes had ever bothered, told her _he_ needed this.

She channeled her frustration into teasing him like he'd teased her, raking her nails up and down the inside of his thighs. She froze when she met the bare juncture between his legs and torso. He wasn't wearing pants. A sly grin spread on her face and she continued to move her hands along his legs, listening to the slight rasp in his breathing every time she brushed close to his crotch. The thought of his naked cock within reach sent a thrill through her body, but he stayed pressed into her and made no effort to make room when she tried to slip her hand between them.

She tensed up, didn't know what to do with her hands at his silent rejection, but before she could jump to conclusions, his mouth was on her neck, nibbling and kissing away her worries. Melting in his arms, her head lolled to the side, her hands came to rest on his thighs and her eyes fluttered shut. He circled her clit now, so slowly, then brushed over the swollen bud. Her hips shot up at the contact, showing him to stay right there, and she pressed a thankful kiss to his neck when he followed her silent command. Focussing on her clit, he tried out different patterns and rhythms whilst pistoning his other fingers in and out of her heat. Pleasured swirled inside her, building a crescendo under his clever fingers and the risk of getting caught by people out to kill them, the knowledge that the smallest squeak in her breath or the softest moan would put her and the Doctor in danger. To keep their noises to a minimum, she tried to stay still, but couldn't stop her body from convulsing when she grew nearer and nearer.

As though he knew what every spasm in her body meant, every hitch in her breathing, he ditched any attempt at exploring and kept to his current rhythm with tight circles on her sensitive bud and even, but rough, thrusts with his fingers. With the tips of her toes digging into the bark, she arched her body, pressing into his touch, and came so hard her eyes rolled back and she shook in his embrace until her orgasm ebbed out. Her body went slack, limbs warm and heavy, and she collapsed in his lap.

As on cue, the smokers tapped their pipes against the trunk and left.

Now sensitive, she flinched under the Doctor's fingers and he brought them to his mouth, licking them clean with slow, careful swipes. A giggle bubbled up from the pit of her stomach and she beamed like a fool at what they'd just done, but she swallowed down her laughter and forced herself to sober up from the mindblowing orgasm. Cold wind swept over her damp body, and her legs strained from how she sat, so she slipped down from being half-perched on his lap.

"More comfortable now?" he whispered, breath hot in her ear.

"Oh, fuck." She let out a content sigh. "That was– Mmm. How about you?"

"Hm?"

She rolled her hips. "I can feel you."

He pressed a kiss to the nape of her neck. "Don't worry about me."

She shifted around, placed herself in his lap and, cupping his face, ran her thumbs from the bridge of his nose over the smattering of freckles across his cheeks. His eyes glinted in the dark, watching her under heavy lids. The daring proposal on her tongue died. His intense gaze made her shy and butterflies swooped in her stomach now that she couldn't hide behind the courage given by arousal and need. A shuddering breath escaped her.

He rubbed her arms. "Are you cold?"

"Yeah."

He unbuttoned his shirt, shrugged it off, and hung it over her shoulders. "Better?"

She slipped her arms into the sleeves, nodding, and trailed her eyes down his t-shirt covered chest, then shut them. "Can I…?"

He placed two fingers under her chin, tilting it up. "What?"

A smile bloomed on her face and she looked up at him through her lashes, pinching the fabric of his t-shirt and tugging him a little closer. "Kiss you."

His eyebrows shot up, but then he smiled and moved his hand to cradle her face, thumb following the outline of her bottom lip. "That's not what I thought you'd say."

"Well," she shrugged and nipped at the pad of his thumb, "can I fuck y–"

He cupped the back of her head and brought her lips to his, silencing her with a soft kiss. She reciprocated in the same unhurried way at first, but when he opened up for her and their tongues touched, she moved closer, wrapped her arms around him and took control. His nose pressed into her cheek and their teeth clashed, but then they found the right angle and their kisses grew deep and hungry. Warmth blossomed within her, relit the need for him, and, rocking in his lap, she skated a hand down his chest, his abdomen and to his hip.

"Okay?" she whispered against his lips.

He pulled back, combing her hair out of her face with his fingers. "Not yet."

"But later?"

"Here?"

"Well, yeah."

"Don't you want to wait until we get back to the TARDIS?"

"You're not serious. That could be _hours_."

He smiled, ducking his head. "We're sitting in a tree, Rose. With banana burning fanatics not even half a klick that way," he gestured with his thumb over his shoulder, "and you–"

"Don't care where we are." She kissed him. "I just want you." She trailed her lips along his jawline. "Inside me." Wrapping her lips around his earlobe, she sucked gently. "Okay?"

"Yeah, I–"

He hissed out a breath when she ghosted her fingers down to his erection, followed the length of it and cupped his sack. She played with its weight, ran her fingernails lightly over the crinkled skin, then swiped the pads of her fingers up his cock and circled the sleek head. He squeaked, then cleared his voice.

"Just–" He exhaled. "Slow, okay?"

"Okay."

"It's been a while and I, ehm, well–"

"You don't have to explain," she said, standing up.

She shimmied out of her knickers and pushed them aside with her foot, then stepped up to him to take her place in his lap. Before she could sit down, he stopped her by diving his hands under the shirt tails and gripping her hips. The fabric followed his movements, revealing her to his heated gaze.

"I want–" He wet his bottom lip, staring at her crotch, then flicked his eyes up to meet hers. "Please?"

She swallowed and nodded, moved closer and widened her stance. He scooted down and tugged her closer until the tip of his nose bumped against her mons. The foliage casted a shadow pattern that moved with the wind over his face. His eyes caught the moonlight, reflected it in a glimmer that made them look more blue than brown. A jolt hit her stomach. Entranced by the effect, she watched him nuzzle her folds and take a deep breath through his nose. His fingers dug into her hips and he breathed in her scent again, then his wet tongue nudged between her folds for a long lick along her slit.

She hummed and let her hands drop to his head, scratching his scalp with absentminded fingers whilst he dipped his tongue inside her. It whirled around, then out, following the shapes of her folds before sucking on them. Muted, appreciative moans left him whilst he devoured her, and she swelled with heat and need and want, moving her hips to get his mouth to her clit. He slid his hands to her bum and, cupping her cheeks, pressed his face closer to her and wrapped his lips around the taut bud and sucked. She fumbled after the knots jutting out from the trunk to support herself and curled her toes into the furrows under her soles, bucking her hips in sync with the quick flicks of his tongue.

He pushed two fingers into her, twisted them and found the rough spot on her inner walls, pounding into it. The throbbing in her core deepened, the intensity of it sending her hurtling towards the edge. She should tell him to stop, so she could sink down on him and ride them both to completion, but his fucking mouth kept licking and sucking and pulling her into a whirlwind of sensations and she could only cling to him and before she knew it her orgasm crashed through her body until her trembling legs gave out and she drooped into his waiting arms.

"Hi," she whispered with a goofy grin on her face.

"Hello."

"My legs stopped working."

"I gathered."

"Yeah. Gathered me too. Cheers for that."

"You're welcome," he said, then put a finger to his lips when she giggled. "Still have to keep it down, Rose."

"I know." She wrapped her hand around his cock and stroked him slowly. "You ready now?"

"Yep. Mhm. I– Yeah."

"Finally." She grinned. "Mind you, you might need to lift me up and down, 'cause I'm not sure I can do it on my own right now."

He smiled and nudged his nose to hers. "No problem."

She sat down in his lap, moved her legs forward and, knees bent, pressed her soles into the slope of the trunk on either side of him. He steadied her by holding her hips and she linked one arm around his neck, capturing his lips, and ran the head of his cock through her wet folds. He trembled, breaths rough and uneven, fingers squeezing her flesh. She released his mouth and traced his jaw with her tongue, showered the side of his neck with kisses, and sucked on his Adam's apple when he let his head tilt back. Then she lined him up and sank down, just a little, stopping at his soft intake of breath.

"Okay?"

He groaned and pressed her down at the same time as he thrust up and sheathed himself to the hilt. She gasped now, eyes round and staring into the quiet woods. He caught her gaze, held it, and for a moment they shared their senses. The thrums of his hearts reverberated throughout her body and he spiked her arousal with his own at the feel of her surrounding him, tight and hot, and him pulsing inside her, filling her up. Her heart expanded, grew so, so light in her chest, and her head spun just as when she'd knocked her nose into his chin.

"Breathe," he whispered.

She gulped in air and let her head drop to his shoulder, letting her mind and body get used to the intimacy she and the Doctor now shared.

"I'm not in your head. It's just… It's a bit more intense." He caressed her back with soothing strokes running from her neck down to her tailbone. "You okay?"

She pulled back to meet his eyes, beaming at him. "Never better. It feels… Oh, Doctor."

His mouth curved into a gentle smile and, even in the dim light of the moon, she could see a blush colouring his cheeks. She kissed him then, languid tongues twisting in time with her grinding in his lap. Shifting to find a better angle so that his cock pushed into her spot with every thrust, she upped the pace until she was bouncing in his lap with the help of his hands on her arse. A moan purred low in her throat and she tossed her head back, the breeze playing with her hair and cooling down her neck and temples. She found the perfect rhythm, felt her body respond to it, but then the Doctor's hands fell away and he stopped moving with her. She raised her head, looking at him with a slight shake of her head and her eyebrows raised.

"I need–" He let out a sharp breath. "Just… A break or I'll…"

"You don't need to think about me," she said, running her fingers through his hair. "You've already satisfied–"

"No. I want– Please." He stroked her arm, from her shoulder down to her wrist, and took her hand, twining their fingers, then squeezing it. "Together."

She nodded, squeezing back.

"Lift up a little?"

She raised her body and couldn't help but whimper when he slipped out of her. He smiled tenderly and caressed her hips in circles, then helped her rearrange herself until she had one knee on either side of his thighs. The ridges of the bark had a flat enough surface for her to stay like that for a little while without hurting, but her body missed him, clenched after him, and out of instinct she started lowering herself. He stopped the hand fumbling to grab him and instead thrust his fingers into her, thumb finding her clit. His lips followed her collarbone, sucking lightly, then wandered down her chest, pressing kisses along the way. She sighed, tugging at the fabric of her clothes to free her breasts.

Riding his fingers, she carded hers through his hair, guided his head to her already puckered nipple and bit back a moan when he swirled his tongue around it. Her breathing sped up and she had trouble staying silent now, biting her lip hard when he sucked on her nipple and rubbed her clit up and down. She rutted faster, ignoring the bark digging into her knees, because now she was building momentum so she could finally fuck the Doctor, come with the Doctor, and a few scrapes and bruises wouldn't stop her.

Her walls clenched around his fingers every time he hit her perfectly and she couldn't push close enough to his hand, to his mouth, since the knot deep in her belly tightened.

"Oh, god, fuck," she whispered, "now, please, in. In-in-in-in. Please? I'm close– I want– Fuck, c'mon, Doctor, _fuck_." His fingers vanished, instantly replaced by his hard cock pushing into her and a shudder ran through her body. "Oh, thankyouplease." The words rushed out of her along with a breath and, leaning her forehead against his, she took him inside, angled herself right and licked her dry lips. "Good?"

His head moved with a nod and he curved his fingers around the swell of her hips, helping her glide up and down his shaft. She looped one arm around his neck for purchase, then reached down with her hand to touch herself. After all that licking and sucking and finger fucking she was so slick she felt it on the insides of her thighs, and her fingers slipped with ease over her clit. She moved her head back enough to look him in the eye, felt the connection spark to life and her whole body buzzed with their shared pleasure. Moving as one, their rhythm grew rough, almost frenzied. Despite the cold, sweat trickled down from her temple, the creases behind her knees felt damp and her hair clung to her neck. Her thighs burned with the effort of fucking him, her knees burned from the friction against the bark, but his heated gaze entranced her and all discomforts fell away.

The pleasure inside them spiraled, pulling them along, then the force of her climax hit her. She clung to him, easing the pressure of her fingers whilst floating down from her high, and with a final few thrusts, he followed her. He found her lips, moaning into her mouth, and they shared a sloppy, lazy kiss whilst their bodies slowed down and stilled.

Humming, she pressed several kisses along the curve of his smiling mouth, then broke out into a wide yawn. She stretched her arms up in the air and leaned left, then right, and he let out a tiny squeak when she tensed and relaxed _all_ her muscles. Cupping her sex, he pulled out and his warm seed followed.

"Can I, ehm, well, do you– You're very wet. I don't have anything to– Your knickers maybe?" He moved his hand gingerly to the side, shook off the worst and cleaned off the rest with a few strokes of his tongue. "You'd be knickerless, then, though… My sleeve?"

She hid a giggle behind her hand. "We really didn't think this through, did we?"

"C'mere," he tugged her closer and leaned in so he could wipe her dry with his short sleeve, "there you go. Spick and span. Good as new."

"Ta." She put on her knickers, then nibbled on her lip, regarding him. He spread his arms wide in invitation and she sat down in his lap with her legs slung over his right thigh, her head resting on his shoulder and her back leaning on his left arm. "I'm knackered."

"Well, no wonder. Must be well past midnight for you."

"And I just got shagged. Really, really well."

"Quite." He tilted his head from side to side and she could almost hear his face breaking out into a beaming smile.

"Are they sleeping yet?"

"I hear snores, but at least one person is up. I think they're sleeping in shifts. But don't worry. In my experience leaving just one guard awake usually means they drift off too. Gets too boring, sitting alone. We'll be able to sneak off soon. You can take a kip, if you like. I'll wake you up when the coast is clear."

"Sounds lovely," she said through another yawn. She nosed his skin and snaked her hand under his shirt, curling it around his waist. "You're warmer than usual."

"Well… I was physically active."

She grinned. "Yeah, you were. Admit it. You got off on the risk of getting caught, yeah?"

"I suppose it adds a certain thrill."

"Oh, come on, Doctor," she said, rolling her eyes. "Just admit it. There's no shame in it. I did!"

He took a deep breath through his nose, exhaling slowly. "It appears to be somewhat of a kink of mine, yes."

She sniggered into his chest. "Is this what it's gonna be like now? Every time we need to hide somewhere."

He made a happy noise in the back of his throat. "It would definitely make waiting more fun."

"Yeah, I hate waiting. Worst part of saving the universe."

"Well," he dipped his head down to hers, and she tipped hers back to meet him, "not anymore."

They kissed for a long moment, then he gave her a peck on the forehead and told her to sleep. She'd barely closed her eyes before she drifted off, safe, warm and sated in his arms.

* * *

.

* * *

A bird trilled a happy tune. Rose's eyes flew open, meeting the woods bathed in morning sun. Soft snores hit her ear and she whirled around, nearly falling out of the Doctor's lap.

"You fell asleep!"

"Hm?" He blinked his eyes open wide, inhaled through his nose and took a good look around. "Eer– Wait." He furrowed his brow. "What happened?"

"Blimey. You say _I'm_ disorientated when I wake up?"

"Rose," he said, cheeks tinted pink and eyes directed skyward, "not to alarm you, but I seem to be rather pants-less and you're not wearing– Ooooooh." A grin stretched across his face, crinkles fanning out from twinkling eyes. "It's coming back to me now."

"You," she poked his chest, "said you were gonna wake me up."

"I also said," he pointed his finger in the air, "in my experience leaving just one person awake usually means they drift off too. Gets too boring, sitting alone."

"Oh, my god." She laughed and gave him a playful push. "Suppose you're gonna tell me it's my fault now, too, yeah?"

"Well," he scratched his neck, "not your fault, per se. But because of you I did perform some quite extraordinary shagging last night, so I think I was entitled to a good kip."

"Yeah." She smiled and cuddled closer. "Can't believe I came three times."

"You know what they say… Good things come in trees."

Rose burst into a fit of giggles, muffled by her hand, then stopped and shifted out of his embrace. "Hang on, did you just call me a thing?"

"Eehm, yes, but a good thing! That I helped come three times. Three." He sniffed, but his eyes sparkled. "A little gratitude is in order, I'd say."

"Yeah, that was really tree-mendous shagging of you, Doctor."

"Really spruced up our sex life, hm?"

She smoothed out his t-shirt over his chest and shoulders. "Especially for you, you poor old sap. Must've been nice to finally get some, now that you've been pine-ing after me for, what, two years?"

"Ooh! Well done. Never wood have pegged you for such a punner!"

"I think you're shrubbing off on me."

His shoulders shook with silent chuckles. "I'm oak-ay with that, actually. Always nice having a companion mapable of keeping up with me. Wait. Maple-able. No. Damn. Eeer… Maple to keep up with me?"

"Close enough." She grinned. "Not that sharp after a shag, are we?"

"No, you shagged me root-en and you're leafing me quite stumped."

"Root-en. That was bad, it was." She snickered. "Speaking of _leafing_, though... Isn't that what we should be doing? Or do you have more puns to get off your chest," she bit her lip, grinning, "nut?"

He laughed and gave her a tight hug, threading his fingers through her hair and snuggling his face into the curve of her neck. She shivered when he moved his lips up the column of her throat and pressed closer with a moan when he opened his mouth, tongue hot and wet against her skin, and sucked. Her eyes fell shut, arousal building low in her stomach, and her thoughts wandered back to last night and their magnificent shagging. Their magnificent, _unprotected_ shagging.

She groaned, pulling back. "We forgot about birth control!"

"Don't you mean _birch_ control?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows.

"Oi! This is serious."

He smiled and kissed her temple. "It's all right. I have morning-after-pills in the sickbay."

"Really?" She folded her arms across her chest. "And why is that?"

"Rose, I have a lot of stuff in the sickbay. A lot of stuff with a shelf life you wouldn't even believe. It's not like I make a habit out of–"

"I hear them!" someone shouted and they froze. "I'll remember that nattering voice for the rest of my life! This way!"

"Rose, I think we need to make like a tree and–"

"Get out of here?"

His face lit up. "Oh! You've seen _Back to the Future_."

"Yeah, 'course. Lots of times. I fancied Marty McFly when I was a kid."

"Oh? Not, uhm," he rubbed his neck, "not Doc Brown?"

"Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"Don't have time for this. Put a cork in it, yeah?"

She grinned and lept over to the branch of the neighbouring tree and started making her way down to the ground with the Doctor following suit. The sound of angry approaching Marklevians grew louder and the second they had solid ground under their feet, he grabbed her hand and looked into her eyes.

"Splint!"

She scrunched up her nose. "What?"

"You know, as in splint of wood. Yes? When you light a fire?"

"Yeah, I know. But what's it supposed to mean?"

"Oooh! Sprint! Instead of run. I thought about dash, since ash is a tree, but it's a little too inconspicuous. I pondered 'sprig' briefly as well, but it's not similar enough, is it? Lacks the right punch, don't you reckon? Splint. That's a good one. Well," he frowned, bottom lip protruding, "it's completely ruined now that I had to explain it to you."

The horde of angry banana burners came into view, thundering down the trail towards them.

"Bloody run! How's that," she shouted, grabbed his hand and pulled him along, sprinting the short distance back to the TARDIS.

Leaning against the blue box, she waited for him to pull out his key whilst catching her breath. Their eyes met, grins slipping.

"Oh, fuckleberry," he said, pressing his forehead into the door. "No damn keeeee-aaaaah!"

The door opened on its own and he fell inside. Rose jumped over him, and he scrambled to his feet and closed the door just as the first sharp stick drilled into the ground in front of the TARDIS from a skilled spear thrower.

Laughing, Rose danced up the ramp and sat down on the jump seat. "Fuckleberry?"

"Well," he tilted his head to the side, working the buttons and levers, "once you start punning it's hard to stop." The timeship shuddered through dematerialisation and he turned around with a smile on his face. "So, Rose Tyler, where do you wanna go?"

"Oh, dunno." She swept her eyes over his form and landed on his crotch. "Think you can make me come three times in a bed too?"

"Is that a challenge?"

"Yeah, up for it?"

"Oh, yes." He offered her his hand and pulled her to her feet when she took it. "But first the sickbay. We're getting you a pill, finding me a contraceptive shot – yes, you're in the future now, sort of, men can get them too and there are less side effects for me – and patching up your scuffed up knees. Also, I think I might have a splinter in my left buttock."

"If you promise to twiggle your arse for me, I promise I'll help you remove it."

He beamed at her and they walked hand in hand to the sickbay. After making a visit each to the toilet, they patched one another up and gave the Doctor his shot. He found her pill, gave her a glass of water and leaned against the counter, eyes faraway under knitted brow.

She rolled the pills between her fingers, watching him. "What's wrong?"

"You're gonna laugh at me."

"No, I won't. Please tell me."

"No, you are."

"I promise I won't."

He sighed, gesturing with one hand as he spoke. " I'm a little disappointed, that's all. 'Cause I really wanted to," he pouted, "I really wanted to tell those banana burners that they were barking up the wrong tree, but…"

She blinked at him, then burst out laughing.

"Oi! You said you wouldn't. You _promised_."

"Yeah, sorry. Oh, my god." She put the pill in her mouth and washed it down. "All right, let's go." She linked their arms and tugged him with her, heading towards her room. "We'll take a bath, get dressed and go back and you can pun at them all you like, okay?"

"No. It's not the same now."

"Okay… But if I give you a blow job after the bath, then. Would that cheer you up?"

His eyes nearly popped out of his head, then, as though he caught himself, shrugged one shoulder and inspected his nails. "Suppose you owe me one. _Wood_ only be fair."

"Mhm." She opened the door to her room and led him inside the en suite, smiling when she saw that the timeship had already filled the tub with hot water and bubbles. "C'mon, then, you elderberry. Strip!"

"Elderberry?"

"Dunno," she slipped out of her clothes and shucked them down the laundry chute, "you're old and I'm running out of puns. Just go with it. Ugh, just need to brush my teeth."

She grabbed her toothbrush, added paste and started cleaning her teeth. At his complete silence, she looked at him through the mirror and found him slack-jawed and gawking at her.

She spat in the sink, rinsed her mouth and the brush and put the latter back in its holder. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just-just– You're," he drew curves in the air with his hand, "_naked_. And-and last night you never– But now, and…" He rushed out a breath and ran his hand over his jaw. "It's– Yep! Good."

She giggled and tugged him closer by his t-shirt. "Doctor, the faster you get out of that shirt and into that bath, the faster I'm gonna suck your cock."

"Right!" He pulled off the t-shirt, tossed it somewhere behind him and jumped into the tub, water splashing over the edges. Upon meeting her amused gaze, he grinned and ducked his head. "Been a while since that happened too."

She stepped into the tub and cuddled up in his waiting arms, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "Well, now you won't have to go a while without either of it, anymore, 'cause you've got me." She paused. "Wait, that sounded– Don't think that's all I'm here for, though."

He laughed, took her hands and linked them behind his neck, helping her onto his lap. Arms wrapped tightly around her, he nuzzled her nose. "Good things come to those who wait, hm?"

"You called me a thing again."

"Yes, but a good thing," he said and kissed her on the lips. "A berry, berry good thing."

* * *

**the end**


End file.
